Circular boat



March 11,1958 w. D. KING I 3 CIRCULAR BOAT Filed on, 4 1956 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WmmM D. Km

I A rranuav.

United States Patent CIRCULAR BOAT William D. King, Hialeah, Fla.

Application October 4, 1956, Serial No. 613,903

4 Claims. (Cl. 114-57) This invention relates to a circular boat and whereby the boat is formed in a true circle throughout the full 360 degrees.

The invention contemplates a circular boat having a hull portion and a centrally arranged open well for the mounting support of a conventional outboard motor and with the motor being mounted in such manner as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane for propelling the boat in any direction throughout the full 360 degrees. An object of the invention is to provide a circular boat having an inclined bottom of frusto-conical shape and with a central well portion that is open at top and bottom and with the well portion connected to the bottom by an outwardly and downwardly inclined wall portion ofcone shape.

The invention further contemplates a circular boat that is formed by a plurality of equidistantly spaced radial ribs to which the bottom cover of the boat is connected and with the bottom being continued upwardly at the outer circumference of the boat to provide a water foil and with the water foil then angled inwardly and upwardly to form a freeboard that is connected with a horizontal deck portion and with the several ribs being substantially continuous from the well portion to the deck portion and with the several ribs being angled and connected at their points of bending for the water foil, the freeboard and the deck by gusset plates whereby to provide rigidity to the boat.

The invention further contemplates a novel mounting at-the upper end of the well for the support of an outboard motor and with the support being horizontally rotatable whereby to dispose the motor at any point throughout the full 360 degrees for driving the boat in any direction.

Novel features of construction and operation of the boat will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boat constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof with the moto removed,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line 44 of Figure 3 and illustrating a pair of adjacent radial ribs and illustrating one method of attaching the bottom cover thereto, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of one complete rib embodied in the invention.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates the boat as a whole, including a plurality of radial metallic ribs 6. The ribs 6 are formed of any "Ice desirable metal and, as shown in Figure 4 are of inverted T-shape. The inner ends of the ribs embody a perpendicular portion 7, a downwardly and outwardly angled portion 8, an upwardly angled portion 9, an acutely angled portion 10 that is angled upwardly and outwardly, an inwardly and upwardly angled portion 11 and a horizontal portion 12. In the boat herein illustrated, there has been provided twelve radial ribs, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the number of ribs employed and the number will vary in accordance with the size of the craft to be formed.

The perpendicular portion of the ribs 7 all terminate upon an identical are formed from the axial center of the boat. Secured to the inner portions of the rib portions 7 is a continuous cylindrical wall 13, that terminates at the upper ends of the portions 7, to form a centrally disposed well 14. The angular portions 8 of the ribs are covered by an outwardly and downwardly flaring conical wall section 15, for a purpose to be presently described. The angular portion 9 of the ribs are covered upon their lower side by a substantially continuous sheet 16 that constitutes the major bottom portion of the boat. The sheet 16 may be formed in sections and riveted or otherwise connected to the flange portions of the ribs 6, such as that illustrated in Figure 4. The bottom 16 is slightly upwardly angled from its point of connection with the wall 15 and it will be apparent, that the joints between the wall 13, the wall 15 and the bottom 16 will be suitably sealed against the entry of water. The angular portion'10 of each rib constitutes the supporting means for a substantially continuous side wall or water foil of the boat and this angular portion 10 of the several ribs are covered by a plate 17. The upwardly and inwardly angled portion 11 of the several ribs are covered by a substantially continuous plate 18 constituting a freeboard, while the horizontal portions 12 of the ribs are covered by a plate 19, forming a relatively narrow deckportion. The outer terminal ends of each rib are braced by a perpendicular portion 20 that is connected in a desirable manner with the angular portion 9. Gussets 21, 22 and 23 are employed to rigidly brace the several portions of the ribs to maintain their angularity. L- shaped brackets 24 are preferably connected with the portion 20 and the portion 19 to constitute a support for an annular seat 25. Also connected with the portion 20 of the ribs, is an annular upstanding backrest 26. The structure so far described preferably embodies metallic ribs, while the several plates 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 may be formed of marine plywood or may be formed of sheet metal of the type calculated to resist rusting and corrosion.

Fixedly connected to the upper end of the cylindrical wall 13 and the upper terminal ends of the portions 7 of each rib, is an annular ring 27 that is preferably flush with the well 14 and that projects inwardly to form a trackway for a plurality of grooved rollers 28. The rollers 28 are carried by an open ring 29 that is concentric to the ring 27 and whereby to form a rotatable mounting for an outboard motor, designated as a whole by the numeral 30. Fixed upon the ring 29, to extend downwardly into the well 14 is a bracket 31, having a cross section 32 upon which the usual clamps 33 of the motor is connected. The motor is arranged substantially centrally of the well 14 in mounting position and with the propeller 34 extending downwardly to be disposed within the water. The ring 29 is provided with a concentric rail 35, through the medium of which the ring and its supported motor may be rotated by the occupant of the boat. It is contemplated that an outboard motor be employed that is vertically adjustable and whereby the occupant may adjust the motor to vary the depth of immersion of the propeller,

The construction of the ribs is such that they can be formed of a continuous T-shaped iron and cut and bent to form the several portions 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12 and 20 and reinforced at their points of bending as previous ly described, forming a very rigid rib that will maintain the contour of the hull. The area defined by the portions 10, 11, 12 and 20 may be closed upon the inner side of the hull by a continuous wall section, not shown, to form an air chamber 37 although this is not essential, as the boat has exceptional floatation qualities.

In the use of the device, with the motor 3t} in mounted position, the boat will settle down at one side in accordance with the load supported therein. With the motor in operation, the force of the water being agitated by the propeller 34 will prevent the water fromenter-ing' the well and that constitutes a drag and causes the rear quadrant supporting the load to ride the wake of the motor. Being circular in construction, any segment or aft segment would constitute a planing surface andithe operation of the motor in the well would pull the rearhalf of the circle, forcing the forward semi-circle at the water brake to have a lift of approximately 9 inches at the most forward quadrant of the circle. Thus, the radius of the circle would in efiect provide a slightly V-bottom, as clearly shown. The design of the boat allows any segment to become the stern or bow by merely turning the motor in any direction by the ring 29. Thus, the operator may abruptly change the course of the boat by turning the. motor. The travel of the boat from one direction to another is substantially abrupt and the boat would not travel in a circle. It merely selects a different segment in a slight roll and starts forward from that point. The front. section, or from the radius forward, the hull construction acts as a cut-away -or rake. The stern board to port radius acts as a semi-V. The rear half beyond the radius, under the bottom would gradually change from a slight V at the center to a planing surface on a section of the bottom directly aft of the highest portion of the bow. For proper operation of the craft, the load should be aft of the center while under power and to thereby obtain a maximum speed.

It will therefore be apparent that a very novel form of boat has been provided that is easy and cheaplyconstructed and that will maintain an unusually good performance in the water. The device may be used as any conventional boat and readily adapts itself to rescueworh as Well as sports or for fishing and pleasure trips. The upstanding backrest 26 will retard the entry ofwater into the boat. The device is highly eflective in use, isv strong, durable and is light in weight. 7

It is to be understood, that the invention is not limited to the precise structural details illustrated, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A water craft of the character described, embodying a hull of circular form having a bottom, circumferential side walls, a circumferential backrest and seat and a centrally arranged open Well, the hull embodying a plurality of identical metallic ribs that are disposed in e'quidistantly spaced relation n r di lt qm he arse w l ach 9t sal the ribs beingshaped to establish an identical cross-sectional contour of the craft throughout an arc of three hundred and sixty degrees, the several ribs providing an attaching means for cover members forming the well, the bottom and the sides, mounting means carried at the upper end of the well for detachably supporting a conventional outboard motor and whereby the motor projects downwardly through the well to engage within the water.

2. A boat that embodies a plurality of equidistantly and identically spaced radial ribs whereby to form a hull frame that is a full chi k, the ribs being of T-shape to form attaching flanges for hull covers, the ribs being bent and shaped at their inner extremities to form a support for a cylindrical band that constitutes an upstanding well, the ribs being also shaped to support a downwardly and outwardly flaring cover from the well, the ribs being also shaped to form a support "for an upwardly and outwardly inclined bottom cover, the ribs being also shaped outwardly from the bottom to form a support for cover means forming an outwardly and upwardly inclined water foil, an upwardly and inwardly inclined freeboard and a horizontal deck, the several ribs at their several points of bending being provided with gusset plates, and means for rotatably supporting an outboard motor axially with respect to the well and whereby the motor projects downwardly below the outwardly flaring cover from the well to engage within the water.

3. A circular boat of the character described having a centralwell portion simulating an inverted funnel that is open throughout, an upwardly and outwardly inclined bottom that extends fromthe marginal edge of the wider diameter of the well and whereby the bottom is of a frusto-conical shape an annular water foil that is acutely angled upwardly and outwardly from the outer edge of the bottom and an annular freeboard that is acutely angled upward and inwardly from the upper edge of the foil, the freeboard' terminating in an annular horizontal deck portion, a rotatable support carried at the upper end of the well, an outboard motor detachably connected to the support and whereby the motor is suspended through the well and, antifriction means associated with the support whereby the motor may be rotated in a horizontal plane throughout a full three hundred and sixty degrees.

4. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the supporting means for the motor comprises a fixed concentric ring carried at the upper end of the well, a concentric ring rotatably supported upon the firstnarned' ring, antifriction rollers between the rings, a bracket fixed upon the second named ring and that is provided with a cross-bar that extends into the well, the cross-bar adapted to be engaged by a clamp device carried by the outboard motor and an annular hand rail carried by the second named ring and whereby the ring and the motor may be rotated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,058,383 Maynes Oct. 20, 1936 2,633,817 Pedranti Apr. 7, 1953 2,791,981 Lane May 14, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 818,323 France June 14, 1937 

